“I’m sure he’ll be back next year with a vengeance.” That’s what Seth Curry said last year, talking about his brother’s sure-fire return to the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe. And he was right! After sitting out the 2024 tournament to snag a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, Stephen Curry is indeed back to defend the title he won so dramatically in 2023. But as he gets ready to reclaim his golf crown, there’s a new challenger on the scene, and he’s not showing up alone.

Just this week, Sacramento Kings star Zach LaVine hopped on his Instagram story to really show everyone how seriously he’s prepping for the celebrity golf tournament. He posted a video of himself at the driving range, absolutely striping a perfect shot. And in the background? You can clearly hear his new, and totally unexpected, hype man, Kyle Lowry, cheering him on. “Get a golf partner like @kyle_lowry7,” LaVine wrote on the story, tagging the ACC Championship.

It was a clear, and very public, shot across the bow. But while LaVine is putting in the serious work at the range, Curry’s taking a much more chill approach. He also hit up Instagram this week, but not to show off his swing. Instead, he shared his official ACC warmup playlist—a carefully put-together mix of tunes ranging from Drake’s “Nokia” and Childish Gambino’s “Redbone” to “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton and “Ready or Not” by the Fugees.

“Golf and good music >,” he captioned it. “Let me know if I’m missing any songs! 👀” It was a cool, confident vibe, quickly seconded by his wife, Ayesha, who reposted the story with the caption, “This cuuuuute. Hit em straight my baby.” It’s a classic Curry move, a quiet display of confidence from a guy who knows he’s the one everyone’s trying to beat.

And honestly, he has every reason to be confident. Steph’s incredible 2023 victory—which included a hole-in-one on Saturday and a walk-off eagle putt on the final hole—is already the stuff of legends. But this year, it feels personal. While he was off at the Olympics, his dad, Dell, and his brother, Seth, were holding down the fort at Lake Tahoe, keeping the Curry family name in the mix.

Now, he’s back to take his title back. He’s even been practicing with golf coach Alex Riggs. Plus, a little friendly ribbing from his old rival, Charles Barkley, who jokingly called him a “coward” for “ducking” him last year, is just adding fuel to his fire. The message is simple: Steph Curry is coming to Lake Tahoe, and he’s coming to win.

Steph Curry’s golf game reveals a different side of him

Steph Curry’s passion for golf goes way beyond just competing in celebrity tournaments. This summer, he’s been all-in with his Underrated Golf Tour, a program he kicked off in 2022 with the big goal of giving junior golfers from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds a real shot.

The tour, which recently stopped at the famous Pete Dye Course in French Lick, Indiana, is more than just a bunch of tournaments. It’s a full-on mentorship program. “We’re not hitting the ball, we’re swinging a club,” said Will Lowery, the tour’s co-founder, explaining their complete approach to teaching the game. And for the young golfers who get to be part of it, it’s truly a life-changing experience. “It is awesome to be here and in this environment,” said one young golfer, Koa Seymour. “There is more diversity here.”

This is the side of Stephen Curry that a lot of people don’t often get to see. And it’s just one piece of his incredibly packed offseason. Between his own intense training and his work with the Underrated Golf Tour, he’s also been rocking the “super dad” role, taking his son, Canon, to a Dude Perfect show for his seventh birthday and showing up to cheer on the Golden Valkyries at the Chase Center.

And if all that wasn’t enough, he’s also stepping into Hollywood! He’s set to star in the upcoming Sony Pictures Animation film, “Goat,” a sports-themed movie where he’ll be lending his voice to a character alongside Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, and Nick Kroll. The movie is slated to drop in collaboration with the NBA during the 2026 All-Star Weekend.

It’s a true sign of his ever-growing influence, a brand that’s built on more than just his basketball success. So while Zach LaVine and Kyle Lowry might be aiming for his golf crown in Lake Tahoe, it’s pretty clear that Stephen Curry is playing a much bigger game. He’s not just a champion; he’s a giver, a family man, and now, even a movie star. And that’s a legacy that will stick around long after this year’s golf tournament wraps up.